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I was
unusually apprehensive about this one, and a distinct feeling of unease was
abroad with me as I set off for Lincolnshire and County’s latest match in the
nation’s sixth division.

Maybe it was
the fact that I had reprised some Stieg Larrsonlate last night, or just the memory of last seasons mugging at this
venue at the hands of the officials that had got to me. For sure the pre match
omens looked decent enough….

Wade Joyce

..............NY had signed Wade Joyce following a scoring debut
on Wednesday in the Lancashire League Cup, so why the tension on my part…was it
the thought of Scubby’s onions that was undermining my confidence quotient? In
reality it was the player’s confidence quotient that mattered, and surely they
would take their cue from the County supporters who had just shelled out almost £6k via `Neil Young’s Gold Rush’?

And so it
came to pass……and County oozed confidence as they prized all the available
points from a GainsboroughTrinity side out played and out thought for much of
the game.

County’s
foundations as usual were rock solid….O’Hanlon a master in the air at the
back….Morton a magician whether at the back or rampaging forward. Add a solid
showing from Connolly and Roberts….a fluid exhibition of combative and stylish
mid field play from Montrose along with 90 minutes of graft from forwards
Odejayi, Baggie and most of all Micah Evans, and you had the ingredients for
success! Oh…..and have I mentioned a superbly confident, save spattered, display
by Ian Ormson, recalled for a rare start? Well…that’s just what we got- it was
heart warming!

Micah Evans works his magic!

The aforementioned foundations never wobbled for
an instant despite a gruesome late showing from referee Alf Greenwood, whoruined an otherwise decent performance, by
wholly buying into Trinity’s imaginative attempts to influence him, all other
tactics having failed them. It started with a non foul by Garvin that triggered
pitch side histrionics from Steve Housham that beggared belief. Another
decision to penalise Ormson , when County were under no threat, for………….well…..I
assume holding onto the ball for `too long’, could have been costly….wasn`t…..but…..when
have you ever seen this rule applied? I’ll answer that question myself…..last
season at Abbey Hey when County’s Development Squad keeper was penalised
similarly in added time allowing Hyde to score from the free kick!

But all the
above mentioned nonsense should not be allowed to deflect attention from an
excellent County performance, well deserving of the points haul it
secured!

So…back to 3
o’clock, and there were starts for new boy Wade Joyce and Ian Ormson , who
claimed the jersey with Danny Hurst occupying a place on the bench.

With
Odejayi, Baggie and Evans up front County notionally had fire power to
spare…..but this is County…….

The early
action saw Connollycut Nathan Jarman’s
capers short with a neat bit of work, and if that annoyed the locals….they were
annoyed again and quickly as the same forwardwas pulled up for offside by the liner on the main stand side.

Back came
County after this, and Evans was to the fore ,ripping into Trinity’s left
flank, forcing Josh Lacey to find touch ala Twickers style, in extremis.

Connolly challenges Budtz

Twice after
this County tried to get Baggie in behind the home defence, and a third attempt…the
product of an Evans run that took him to the by-line, almost did the
trick…Baggie losing possession at the salient moment!

Baggie & Evans pile forward supported by Montrose.

The 7th
minute gave us our first glimpse of what Ian Ormson was bringing to the party,
and I liked what I saw at this point, as he reacted well to a cross from Liam
Davis, keeping it from Jamie Yates in confident style!

Another 2
minutes, and Trinity worked themselves a decent chance, at least Lacey did, but
having done the difficult bit, and weaved his way across the box, he promptly
lifted a poor effort way over the bar.

County defend.

Gainsborough
had showed an early inclination to attack County, but in response the pink
shirted blues resisted in masterly fashion none more so than O`Hanlon who had
everything in the air covered, and Morton who was simply sensational in his
work at either end of the park. We just needed a break….but instead Garvin saw
his shot charged down following neat work by Evans. Evans was seemingly on fire
and every bit as lively as on Wednesday against Buxton, and he left Lacey for
dead at one point being inches away from picking Odejayi out with his cross. A
corner resulted and a punched clearance from keeper Jan Budtz before there was
any respite for the home team.

Evans on fire !

Joyce saw an
effort cleared….. Montrose did better, but still watched as his shot drifted
inches wide, and Odejayi set Garvin up nicely with a deft back heeled pass only
for this to miss out by a similar distance!

County pile it on.....

Things were
looking not at all bad for County, although this view of the situation was
somewhat under threat midway into the half when Joyce conceded a free kick just
inside County’s half. No real danger you may be tempted to opine….but not
so….Yates lifted a dangerous ball to the back post where Ormson did
exceptionally well to push it around the post. Yates however…. made a wakes of
his shot from the resultant corner, so the pressure was off, and stayed off for
6 or 7 minutes when

County compete....

County’s propensity for conceding needless free kicks came
to the fore again allowing Adam Quinn to steal in at the back post and almost
put his side ahead. His effort was deflected wide and the subsequent corner
bravely defended and expertly cleared by County who were showing increasing
confidence all over the park now.

Budtz thwarts County.

This
pressure continued for much of the rest of the half and Budtz did well to fend
off one County raid as a Garvin free kick headed his way. Evans meanwhile was
working away fantastically well and a link up with Baggie won us a corner-
sadly not put to good use by County.

Budtz.....

On it went
with Baggie trying to capitalise on excellent play by Montrose, but seeing his
shot drift inches wide of the post with Budtz an interested but helpless
spectator!

It continued
with the County fans in raptures watching Morton turn a defensive position into
one of rampant pink shirted attack. Only a poor foul stopped the rot for the
rattled Trinity with Baggie threatening, and it required a good save from Budtz
to keep it at 0-0 from the kick that followed.

and again.....

Budtz made a
couple of decent catches after this with half time approaching fast, but the
half ended with County almost conceding a goal at the death- a fine diving save
by Ormson somehow saving the day, and a follow up punch of outstanding
confidence doing the rest when it was needed.

Part of the County following.

The half
time whistle was well received by County fans, who must have wondered, like
myself, whether their team could find a finish to go with all the decent
approach play in the 45 minutes to follow.

A lively start to the second half saw Evans
and Baggie in concert down the right, the latter seeing his shot fly over the
bar.

Early 2nd half County raid.

For 7 or 8
minutes after this, both teams probed the other without showing real signs of
knowing how to finish their good work off. The 54th minute offered a
tantalising glimpse of what might just be….when Baggie darted clear, but with
only Budtz to beat…he didn’t….shooting straight into the keeper’s arms.

Baggie gets to grips.

That was
disappointing, and more of the same followed as Budtz was again to the fore
catching Joyce’s ball into the box before anyone in pink could react!

County…
urged on by the relentless Morton, piled the pressure on now- Garvin, Evans and
Baggie making neat patterns in the home half. Just that elusive finish was
missing, but despite a free kick for a foul on Garvin, and further pressure via
Joyce, it was Budtz who emerged with the ball to ease his team’s worries.

That man Budtz again.....

That goal
looked like continuing to elude us….and then just beyond the hour mark, things
changed! Not surprisingly Morton started the change with another powerful run
into opposition territory. In response Trinity just could not clear the ball
and County fans, who had by now spread out on 3 sides of the segregated
stadium, let rip in jubilation as the ball reached Evans and his header beat
the keeperthumping into the post and
going in off Budtz’s back!

Break by Evans.....

That was
simply excellent and more almost followed, just 3 minutes later- Odejayi extremely
unlucky with a shot on the turn that missed out by inches!

On…..on….it
went with Morton still powering up field converting defensive positions rapidly
into threats at the other end, and the product was another chance for Odejayi
and another near miss as his header flew narrowly wide.

There were
less than 20 minutes remaining to play now and Trinity were beginning to ring
the personnel changes in an attempt to rectify matters, instead they might have
been 2-0 down had Evans shown more composure when clean through. Unfortunately
he hesitated just long enough to allow Lacey to rob him and clear- chance gone!

Quinn rescues Trinity.

It was at
this point the Gainsborough `Plan B’ came into play, and it was puke making to
see Trinity Manager Steve Housham go AS
a yard or so from the referee as Garvin pulled out of a tackle with Lacey. No
tackle….no intent….no foul…just an unfortunate tantrum from Mr Housham , but
ridiculously the referee bought it and gave the home side a ludicrous free
kick. This put pressure on County which they withstood with great fortitude and
resilience- Ormson earning rich applause with a fine catch to lift what had
been a short siege.

Morton
continued to terrorise Trinity….we needed a second goal to put matters to bed,
but this continued to elude us despite some neat play, and the referee was
adding to

Morton launches one....

County’s problems with some perverse decisions the latest of which
saw Gainsborough gain a free kick smack in front on the edge of the box, as the
referee penalised Ormson for……err…well….I assume `holding onto the ball too
long’ but who knows, anyway a no pressure on County situation had been
converted to one decidedly iffy. But….the good guys won out on this occasion –
a hopeless free kick thudding into the County wall ,followed by a small ovation
for Ormson whose diving save put just the cap on the interlude that was
required- fantastic stuff!

Evans was
replaced by Max Hazeldine on 87 minutes, leaving the field to thunderous
applause from the County following.

Hazeldine’s
fresh legs gave added impetus to County’s forward push and we looked on aghast
to see Garvin’s shot miss out by fractions of an inch after he had executed a
mazy dribble deep into Trinity territory.

County press

Into added
time we went….4 minutes of it…. and Ormson had to look lively and pulled off
another decent save to deny Jarman, who rather distastefully followed through
on the keeper, not getting anything remotely approaching a rebuke from the
officials for his pains!

The rest was
a succession of hopeful high ones from Trinity which O’Hanlon and company dealt
with without undue concern, and Hazeldine was doing his job well getting
forward…..relieving the pressure…and….winning a free kick.

It was a
magnificent effort by all 11 County men and the subs, and it was great to join
in the acclaim as they trouped off at the end.

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